Terris Kasteen is the new local representative of the
California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. At the March 13
RBDA meeting she will present information on the Bonny
Doon Ecological Reserve, including which trails are open
to the public, and current projects such as creating
fencing along Martin Road, building a kiosk by the
Reserve parking lot, conduct restoration work at
Reggiardo Creek, trail maintenance and removing invasive
plants.

The ecological reserve is unique and is made up of Santa
Margarita Sandstone, a consolidation of marine sediments
and compressed mud, rock and sand. When broken down by
weathering the sandstone becomes part of the Zayante
soil series, which covers about 3% of Santa Cruz County,
or about 8,000 acres, including most of the soil found
in Ben Lomond, Quail Hollow, Felton, Scotts Valley and
Bonny Doon. The soil supports 2 plant communities unique
to this area, the Maritime Coast Range Ponderosa Pine
forest and the Silverleaf Manzanita Mixed Chaparral.

The California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (formerly
"Fish and Game") maintains native fish, wildlife, plant
species and natural communities for their intrinsic and
ecological value and their benefits to people. This
includes habitat protection and maintenance in a
sufficient amount and quality to ensure the survival of
all species and natural communities. The department is
also responsible for the recreational, commercial,
scientific and educational uses of the properties under
its management.

Why the Moon Rocks Are Special

Recently there has been discussion on the “Bonny Doon
Little Slice of Heaven” Facebook page about hiking on
the “Moon Rocks” in the Ecological Reserve. We asked Val
Haley, coordinator of the Ecological Reserve docents, to
explain why the area is closed to public access:

"The “Moon Rocks” at the Reserve are an ecologically
significant resource that merit special management and
protection. These rock outcrops of Santa Margarita
sandstone were formed and uplifted approximately 15
million years ago. The rock outcrops are part of what is
called sand hills habitat, which only occurs in Santa
Cruz County and nowhere else on the planet. Due to their
unique soil characteristics, special status plant
species are present that would be poor competitors
elsewhere, and therefore depend on the rock outcrop
habitat. The following regionally rare species are
associated with the rock outcrops at the Reserve: Santa
Cruz cypress, rhododendron rose bay, Bonny Doon
manzanita/silver-leaf manzanita, bear grass, and coast
range ponderosa pine. In addition, an unusual solitary
Kincaid’s bee also nests in the rocks.

"The high level of past and current human use is
threatening the persistence of the rare species listed
above, and the climbing activities and carving are
eroding the rocks. Past misuse of the area has been
painting and carving of rocks, throwing glass bottles
and fireworks from the top, trash, broken glass, and
rare trees cut for camp fires, etc. The Martin Fire in
June 2008 started at the top of the Moon Rocks, most
likely from human activity. The current low level of
Calif. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife’s funding for
personnel is not enough to have daily warden patrols.
Given the large amount of public use, the rock outcrops
have been closed as a protective measure. Trespassing
fines are expensive, so beware. Portions of the rocks
are also on private property. Subject to permission from
Fish & Wildlife, the rocks on the Reserve are open
for scientific research and educational field trips."

Mushroom Recap

Local resident and extremely knowledgeable mycologist
Henry P. Young presented some very useful information on
mushroom identification at the Jan. 16 RBDA meeting. For
example, it is best to store mushrooms in a brown paper
bag or waxed paper rather than plastic, so they can
breathe. Plastic smothers the fungus and makes it turn
slimy.

The variety of mushrooms in Bonny Doon is impressive and
numbers in the thousands. All mushrooms can be handled
safely but it is not wise to eat any without positive
identification, which is done by examining the entire
specimen, including the spores. Henry takes the mushroom
cap and stalk home and places it right side up on paper
that is half white and half black, so the spores will be
visible when they fall regardless of whether they are
light or dark. Last year one resident who was curious
about the fungi growing on her property advertised in
the Battle Mountain News for a mycologist and Henry was
kind enough to come and identify what she had.

Mushrooms are either edible or fall into the category of
the “lose your lunch bunch,” in Henry’s evocative words.
One hopes that it is only one’s lunch that is lost. Not
all of the edible fungi are tasty. Some are reminiscent
of cardboard in both flavor and consistency. The toxic
varieties contain only a handful of toxins; Henry is on
the call list at local hospitals for consultation should
the wrong kind of fungus be eaten.

Different varieties of mushroom are found in autumn,
winter and spring. One of the best times of year for
them is November and December because cold weather slows
or ends most of the blooms, but where there is rain
mushrooms can usually be found. The RBDA is very
thankful to Henry for his presentation and proud to have
him as a resident.

After a rehearing, the California 6th District Court of
Appeal again ruled that the City of Santa Cruz must
re-do the Environmental Impact Report for UCSC’s and the
city’s applications to extend water service to the North
Campus.

The city and university asked for a rehearing of the
decision it issued on Nov. 27. On Feb. 19, the court
once again said that the EIR didn’t consider enough
alternatives, and their environmental impacts, to
extending the city’s challenged water supply to 240
acres of the North Campus. This huge development—UCSC
wants to build over 3 million square feet of dorms,
classrooms and laboratories—is, of course, in Bonny
Doon.

As we wrote in the January Highlander, the ruling blocks
a decision on the applications by LAFCO, the Local
Agency Formation Commission, without which the project
can’t proceed.

The suit was brought by Habitat and Water Caretakers
(HAWC), a local citizens’ group, headed by Bonny Dooner
Don Stevens. The Appeals Court overturned a 2011 ruling
by Santa Cruz Superior Court Judge Timothy Volkmann. In
its opinion following the rehearing, the Appellate Court
wrote again: “By failing to mention, discuss, or analyze
any feasible alternatives, the draft EIR and the final
EIR failed to satisfy the informational purpose of CEQA
[the California Environmental Quality Act], which
included providing LAFCO with relevant information.” It
specifically mentioned that the alternative of reducing
the projects’ size, which would require less water, was
never analyzed.

“This is a real vindication of those who have
been tirelessly raising concerns about the
university's plans,” says Gary Patton, attorney for the
Community Water Coalition, which has been fighting the
applications. “In the very best case, the UCSC
administrators will rethink their sprawl strategy for
the future growth of the campus.”

Any LAFCO decision will have to await a new EIR, which
will require new public hearings and new certification,
which could take many months and be open again to legal
challenge.

Meanwhile, our 3rd district supervisor, Neal Coonerty,
who has consistently supported UCSC’s application, has
become, once again, chair of the Board of Supervisors,
which entitled him to select which supervisors serve on
LAFCO. Neal is one of them. The term of Supervisor John
Leopold, who has been an advocate of strict conditions
on delivering water to the North Campus and championing
the interests of his own Live Oak constituents, who are
served by Santa Cruz Water Dept., expires in May.
Coonerty decided to demote Leopold to alternate and
replace him with newly elected Second District
Supervisor Zach Friend (Aptos and environs), thus
possibly weakening the opposition to the water service
extension.

Since Supervisor Leopold has been heavily involved
during the many months LAFCO has been considering the
applications, and represents consumers whose water
supply will be heavily affected by the decision, we feel
that it is only fair and sensible that Supervisor Friend
defer in favor of his alternate whenever LAFCO takes up
the matter again, so that Supervisor Leopold can have a
vote.

CEMEX Chapter of Bonny Doon History Ends

The purchase a few months ago of CEMEX’s limestone
quarry and nearby properties by Bonny Dooner JoeBen
Bevirt marks the end of an era here.

For more than a century the cement business has had a
significant impact on Bonny Doon and Davenport, both
positive and negative. It brought jobs and aid to local
schools and other institutions, but it also destroyed
scores of acres of the environment, and polluted the air
with noise and dust.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the cement
company’s owners were faced with deteriorating quality
of the limestone in the quarry southwest of Smith Grade,
and wanted to expand it to the east.

The RBDA fought against it because it would have
annihilated dozens of acres of redwood forest and the
plants and animals that lived there; threatened to
degrade the Santa Cruz Water Dept.’s large spring on
Liddell Creek; and worried its Smith Grade neighbors,
who feared their properties would be made unlivable. By
challenging the expansion and forcing RMC Lone Star, and
then the successor owner, CEMEX, to conduct extensive
tests of the potential impacts, the RBDA Board and the
city water dept. kept the project on hold until the 2008
recession knocked out the economic underpinnings of the
cement plant and CEMEX decided to close it.

Last year, an alliance of land conservation
organizations headed by Sempervirens Fund purchased
CEMEX’s 8,500 acre timber properties stretching along
San Vicente Creek.

JoeBen Bevirt, an entrepreneur and inventor who grew up
on Last Chance Road and now lives on Smith Grade, told
The Highlander that purchasing the quarry and nearby
CEMEX properties has been a “lifelong dream.” Along with
the 272 acre quarry, he purchased four residential
properties, three of which have houses, which lie in
between Smith Grade and the quarry, and which he intends
to rent out; and two parcels totaling about 50 acres
northeast of Smith Grade. That leaves a 170 acre
undeveloped parcel along Laguna Creek as the last CEMEX
property in Bonny Doon.

Reclamation of the quarry remains the obligation of
CEMEX, and is expected to take several years. Details of
its execution are still being negotiated with the
County.

JoeBen said he has started working to remove invasive
species, especially French broom, and a lot of garbage
that has accumulated on the residential properties.

As for the long-term plan for the quarry property,
JoeBen says “My dream is to live there the rest of my
life,” though he estimates it might be as much as 5 to
10 years before he builds a house there. On the 50 acres
northwest of Smith Grade he plans to plant some
orchards, and perhaps raise some farm animals.

“I want to be good neighbor,” he says, so if there is
anything that disturbs people he encourages them to
contact him at 650-533-6335, or email
joeben(at)northcoastfarms.com.

Quarry Reclamation: Still the Pits

More than 2 years ago, when CEMEX closed the cement
plant in Davenport and ceased limestone mining
operations, the clock began running on its obligation to
reclaim the quarry as required by the State’s Surface
Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA).

The act details a comprehensive surface mining and
reclamation policy and regulates surface mining
operations to assure that adverse environmental impacts
are minimized and mined lands are reclaimed to a usable
condition. Stabilizing and reclaiming the areas impacted
by decades of mining operations is a massive
undertaking, but CEMEX has done little to advance the
reclamation process over the past 2 years. Only the
shale quarry (west of Bonny Doon Road, south of the
Redwood Meadows development) has seen reclamation
efforts so far.

It’s the county's responsibility to enforce SMARA
requirements. In a 2010 letter to CEMEX, the county
identified additional problems and asked for more
technical information to inform an application for an
Amended Reclamation Plan. In addition to the limestone
quarry and associated settlement ponds, the streambed
that was filled beneath the conveyor line will need
restoration too. Enough additional work has been
identified that CEMEX was required to increase the size
of its financial surety bond to $8.7 million.

County staff has been extremely lenient while CEMEX
dragged its feet and offered excuses, in part
attributable to negotiations associated with the
prospective sale to JoeBen Bevirt, which could change
some aspects of the reclamation plans. Staff finally
took a firmer stand in a February 1 letter, giving CEMEX
a March 31 deadline to submit technical documents
addressing restoration needs and slope instability. If
sufficient, the County will begin an environmental
review leading to a public hearing.

Of course, reclamation doesn’t mean restoring the
redwood, oak and madrone forest that once existed at the
quarry site. The 40-acre tiered pit will remain, but
topsoil banked by the various quarry owners over the
years will be laid down and native chaparral vegetation
planted.

Santa Cruz Biotech Still Getting People’s Goats

Back in 2000, Santa Cruz Biotechnology (SCB) was forced
by the California Coastal Commission to move nearly
2,000 goats from its Back Ranch Road facility because
their manure was running down into the yards of the
Coast Road neighborhood below it, and because it didn’t
have the required building permits.

Although the goats wound up in Shandon, in San Luis
Obispo County off Lost Hills Highway (Hwy. 46), troubles
for the company have continued. The firm still does its
lab work in Santa Cruz, mostly employing newly graduated
college students, who do not give the company glowing
reviews on various employment websites.

Earlier this year the company was sued by an animal
rights group for alleged violations of California’s
animal welfare laws. SCB injects its animals, which now
reportedly number about 10,000 goats and about 6,000
rabbits, with human peptides, which causes the goats to
produce antibodies used in medical research, which are
then removed by draining and filtering the animals’
blood.

The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has also filed complaints
citing more than 20 violations from 2007 to 2012,
including, according to newspaper reports, failure to
maintain adequate veterinary care (federal inspectors
claim there is only one vet employed to treat all the
animals), failure to consider alternatives to procedures
involving animal pain and distress, failure to handle
animals in a manner that avoids stress, and failure to
avoid and minimize pain and distress during procedures.
Cited incidents at Santa Cruz Biotechnology include
goats suffering from lameness, broken limbs, acute
injuries, and respiratory, urinary or neurologic
illnesses—all not given proper treatment or veterinary
care.

Pressure on SCB is now, it is rumored, being brought by
some of its clients, such as labs at Stanford
University, who may stop buying its products until it
cleans up its act.

John and Brenda Stephenson, SCB’s owners, still use
their 206-acre ranch above Hwy. 1 for farming and cattle
ranching.

Your New RBDA Board

At the Jan. 16 Annual RBDA meeting 5 people were elected
to the RBDA Executive Board. Re-elected to 2-year terms
were Jacob Pollock, Tom Hearn and Marty Demare. New to
the Board is Bonny Doon native Meggin Harmon, who has
previously served the community in a number of ways. Ted
Benhari was elected to fill out the remaining 1-year
term of Pat Morrison, who had to resign in 2012. The
Board appointed him to the position last March.

After the election the Board elected its new officers.
Jacob takes over as chairman, Meggin is the new vice
chair, Tom moves to recording secretary, Lad Wallace is
the new Membership Coordinator, Joe Christy is now
treasurer, and Marty and Ted remain as corresponding
secretary and Highlander Editor respectively.

Support the RBDA by renewing your membership now: all
1-year memberships expired on January 31st.

Ideas
for RBDA Meeting Topics

We are
always open to suggestions for interesting programs and
speakers at our bimonthly (except July) RBDA public
meetings.

What are you interested in? Local flora and fauna,
gardening, environmental and political issues, Bonny
Doon history or geology, public safety?

What were some of your favorite speakers or
presentations at past RBDA meetings?

Bonny Doon's
voice in preserving our special quality of
life,
The Highlander is mailed free to Bonny Doon
residents prior to the
RBDA General Meetings, which are usually
held on second Wednesdays of
January, March, May, July, September and
November.
We encourage you to participate.

Send
mail correspondence to the Highlander Editor
at the above address,
or by email, below.